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'But you don't have any money or food.'
'No, that's true.'
'So if you have something to eat, and a bed for the night, I can write you a list of jobs
and you'll do them. Is that right?'
'Yes, that's right.'
'I have to say this is a first, but, ok, take a seat and I'll write a list of things.'
This was more like it. Good honest work in exchange for board and lodging. She re-
turned with a handwritten list.
Remove ALL leaves from car-park
Clean out bin room
Wash outside of hotel
TheWhiteHartisprobablythebiggesthotelinDevon-possiblytheworld.Andwehad
to wash it.
Glyn gave us a tour of our duties and described exactly what she wanted doing.
'You see these leaves on this path? I want every leaf picked up. EVERY LEAF... You
see all these leaves all over the car park? I want every one of those picked up. EVERY
ONE. This bin room needs sweeping, and clearing up, and the bins need wiping down...
Take a large bucket with some soapy water - NOT TOO MUCH SOAP - and wipe down
the black bit all the way down to the floor... Leave THAT bit, the council own that, so they
can do it... Wipe down all the door frames and window frames, and that should just about
do it.'
It was dark by the time we started.
As we scraped up huge piles of soggy leaves with our bare hands, it was obvious that
theywereallcoatedinurine.Itwasclearthatpeoplestoppedtorelievethemselvesontheir
waybacktotheircarafteranightonthebeers.Don'tdrinkanddrive,kids.Infact,ifyou're
a kid, don't drink at all. Or drive for that matter.
The bin room was rank, too. It looked like foxes had been at the bins, as the contents
were strewn across the floor. We scooped up eggshells and rotten vegetables with a shovel
and put it all into black bin bags. As I knelt to reach under a big wheelie bin I managed to
get rotten egg all over my suit trousers. The smell lingered with me for several days.
Whilst cleaning we met Arek, a Polish chef who had been in England nearly a year. He
beganworkinginthekitcheninthemainrestaurant,andthenhelpedsetupapizzeriaatthe
back of the hotel.
'My name iz Arek. I come from The Poland. My English izza not so good. I learn Eng-
lish for tree manths.'
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